Insufficient Information to Determine Diagnosis
The question "I've had this for five years" lacks critical clinical information needed to establish a diagnosis. Without knowing the specific symptoms, physical findings, or clinical presentation, it is impossible to provide a meaningful diagnostic assessment.
Why This Question Cannot Be Answered
- The provided evidence focuses primarily on cardiovascular conditions (dual antiplatelet therapy, coronary artery disease), vasculitis (giant cell arteritis, granulomatosis with polyangiitis), venous outflow obstruction, and other specific disease entities that require particular clinical presentations to diagnose 1
- A five-year duration suggests a chronic condition, but chronic diseases span an enormous differential diagnosis including autoimmune disorders, chronic infections, degenerative conditions, malignancies, and metabolic diseases 1
- The evidence provided does not address general diagnostic approaches for undifferentiated chronic conditions 1
Critical Information Required for Diagnosis
To establish any diagnosis, the following essential information must be obtained:
- Primary symptoms: Pain location and character, swelling, bleeding, neurological changes, skin changes, respiratory symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, or constitutional symptoms (fever, weight loss, fatigue) 1
- Anatomical location: Which body system or organ is affected (cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, neurological, musculoskeletal, dermatological) 1
- Pattern of symptoms: Constant versus intermittent, progressive versus stable, triggers or relieving factors 1
- Associated findings: Laboratory abnormalities (anemia, elevated inflammatory markers, thrombocytopenia), imaging findings, or physical examination abnormalities 1
- Past medical history: Comorbidities, prior surgeries, medications, family history, and risk factors 1
Approach When Symptoms Are Clarified
Once specific symptoms are provided, the diagnostic approach should include:
- Targeted history focusing on the specific symptom complex and its impact on activities of daily living 1
- Physical examination directed at the affected system with attention to findings that suggest specific disease processes 1
- Initial laboratory testing based on the clinical presentation (complete blood count, inflammatory markers such as ESR and CRP, metabolic panel, organ-specific tests) 1
- Imaging studies appropriate to the anatomical location and suspected pathology 1
- Specialist referral when the presentation suggests a condition requiring specialized diagnostic testing or management 1
Please provide specific symptoms, affected body areas, and any known test results to enable accurate diagnostic guidance.